History, analysis, and unabashed gossip about the start of the American Revolution in Massachusetts.

J. L. BELL is a Massachusetts writer who specializes in (among other things) the start of the American Revolution in and around Boston. He is particularly interested in the experiences of children in 1765-75. He has published scholarly papers and popular articles for both children and adults. He was consultant for an episode of History Detectives, and contributed to a display at Minute Man National Historic Park.

Friday, May 05, 2017

On Friday at 7:00 P.M., “three of the nation’s top fife & drum corps—and some special guests” will perform on the Lexington common, site of the skirmish between the town militiamen and British soldiers on 19 Apr 1775. The host group takes its name from the teen-aged drummer on duty with the Lexington militia on that crucial day.

On Saturday starting at noon and running to 5:00 P.M., there will be a brief parade of fife & drum ensembles ending at the Minute Man National Historical Park’s visitor center on Route 2A. Thirty units from all over the Northeast are scheduled to perform over the course of the afternoon. There will also be colonial craftspeople displaying their wares and demonstrating eighteenth-century camp skills. And there will be booths with refreshments, souvenirs, and musical recordings to buy.